Istapalian Civil War
The Istapalian Civil War was a multi-sided conflict between the elected government of Istapali, a "transitional government" formed in an attempted coup by military officers and the insurgent Istapali Unity Movement. Background The civil war began amidst a period of extended political and economic turbulence in Istapali. Initial attempted coup In January 4499, a group of military officers attempted to seize control of the country through a military coup. This created a situation of chaos across the country, as the government scrambles to retain its authority amid a mixture of terrorism, insurgency and revolt. Since elections in the previous November which left the far-right Party of Istapali six seats short of a majority, central government had been paralysed as the other political parties struggled to assemble a coherent platform. The military had been called in to deal with violent protests against both the government and the ultra-nationalist opposition in major cities earlier that month. Public resentment on both sides was exacerbated by the guerrilla Istapali Unity Movement (ISTUMO) who had been staging various attacks against high-profile targets from remote bases in the country's northeastern regions. ISTUMO leader Nopaltzin Zalli had announced that the group fully endorsed the Party of Istapali but the party published a statement disavowing and condemning the militants. The attempted coup d'état was the response of a small group of radical officials who saw the installation of a far-right government and a crackdown on protesters as the only way of ensuring the country's stability. Believed to have been spearheaded by Amoxnen Dahlke, the group attempted to take control of the Federal People's Congress building. Government officials were tipped off about the attempt in advance though and were able to have many of the ringleaders apprehended before they were able to implement their plan. In spite of the coup's failure, many members of the armed forces remained frustrated about the state of the country. President Tizoc Xochipan reiterated his call for the legislature to support a cabinet of his party's representatives to prevent, in his words, "the total dissolution of our nation". In response, the Llaqta and Liori governments instituted further tightening of border restrictions in an attempt to prevent the spread of violence into their respective countries. Since the conflict ended, reports have confirmed the Llaqta regime may even be covertly supported the ISTUMO militants by transporting cash and firearms across the border. Conflict Malinalmina-led coup A second attempted coup d'état in less than a month by the Istapalian military left the country in a state of national crisis. The capture of the city of Citlalt by the guerilla Istapali Unity Movement (ISTUMO) proved to be the catalyst for disaffected members of the Istapalian Army who have now assembled a "transitional government" in an attempt to restore law and order. ISTUMO had been reportedly in control of settlements throughout the northern regions for several months but the recent seizure of Citlalt, an industrial city of over one hundred thousand people, was received with shock and fear among the general populace. As protest and violence continued in the country's urban centres, a group of generals decided that it was necessary to take immediate action in order to prevent the country falling into anarchy. General Xilo Malinalmina, who commanded Istapali's Army, assembled a transitional government involving President Tizoc Xochipan and his ultra-nationalist Party of Istapali. Numerous regional leaders accepted the legitimacy of the transitional government but the military failed to take control of some of the urbanised southern parts of the country. In the capital of Montezuma, armed police loyal to the elected government secured many important government buildings while in other cities, armed anti-fascist citizens took to the streets to deter the Army from attempting to move in. The most violent clashes took place in the central city of Mezxoch, where armed police had been attempting to disperse far-right protesters shortly before Malinalmina made his declaration. After the revolt had been put into motion, the military entered the city's central pedestrian areas and began engaging with the regional police force. Fall of Zenling Momentum turned against the democratic forces with the capture of the city of Zenling, along the Cifutingani border, by ISTUMO in September 4499. The mountainous city had been a crucial stronghold for forces loyal to the elected government and the last major settlement they had retained control of in the northwestern section of the country. Over the previous two months the conflict ravaging Istapali had reached a relative stalemate, with all three competing forces unable to make territorial gains due to difficult combat conditions and the threat of counterattack. The situation changed last, though, when leaders of ISTUMO and the military-appointed "transitional government" led by former President of Istapali Tizoc Xochipan agreed to a ceasefire and a provisional power-sharing agreement. As a consequence, both have been able to shift their focus to a push south towards the capital. Although there appeared to be relative similarity in the ideological background of the two forces from the outside, the destabilising effect of ISTUMO's insurgent campaign had prevented the transitional government from working with them previously. Their position changed, however, as the guerrilla group begin an assault against the important industrial region of Axaya in Istapali's northwest, crucial to ensuring the transitional government is able to properly supply its troops. Initial reports suggested that Manicoh's forces were not been discouraged by the fall of Zenling, optimistic that public revolt would prevent this new radical alliance from remaining in control of the region. In spite of this, the democratic forces faced an extremely difficult task to reestablish control of the country. Apparent financial support for the radicals from Dovani's so-called "Axis of Sovereignty"- Liore, Suyu Llaqta and Utari Mosir- was important in creating a logistical uphill battle and the democrats were now facing a unified enemy. Fall of Montezuma Military forces loyal to Istapali's transitional government, formed after a military coup, captured the national capital Montezuma from the elected government led by Tlazohpan Manicoh after a ten-month long siege, bringing the civil war to an end. The capital was the only territory remaining under the control of "democratic forces" for months, with the rest of the country controlled either by the transitional government or the ISTUMO. After taking control of the city, the new government began an attempt to stabilise the country and consolidate their power. Members of the Manicoh government and many soldiers loyal to the administration were arrested and executed. Tizoc Xochipan, the transitional government's president, has declared that the nation is once again at peace and that a new constitution is in the process of being approved which will "ensure the peace and prosperity of the Istapali people for all eternity". Under the terms of an agreement signed in the early stages of the civil war, ISTUMO were given a role in the governance of the northeastern region of the country along the border with Suyu Llaqta. The group's leader Nopaltzin Zalli appeared in a public broadcast with Xochipan to celebrate the capture of Montezuma. The Llaqta and Liori governments, who actively supported the anti-democratic alliance throughout the civil war, made statements of congratulations to the new government and welcomed the President to their respective capitals to discuss regional cooperation. In contrast, the governments of Cifutingan, Midway and Degalogesa among others issued harsh condemnations of the new regime in Istapali, calling it undemocratic and threatening to expand economic sanctions implemented over the course of the conflict. Concerns were raised about the possibility of the one of the largest nations in Dovani aligning itself with the "Axis of Sovereignty", a defensive alliance composed of Utari Mosir, Suyu Llaqta and Liore. Aftermath Since the victory of the alliance, the northeastern regions of the country have had relatively autonomous status within the country. Category:Wars, civil wars and conflicts Category:History of Istapali